Newspaper Page Text
AMERICAN ADVOCATE.
■NO. XXVI ]
TUBLISHK!) WEEKLY, on THURS
DAY MORNIN'I, BY OEOROE W
Wheeler a j \mescl \rke, at’
THEIR, ERIN 5 ING OFFICE, NEXT
DOOR TO DR. J. M. STISttKIT—AT
THREE DOLLARS PER ANNUM—
OMS. /'A* MiVJ) YCR
rimiiww —w ■ ■■■■ m —in I . l iiiimpt mm,
To the People of Citoigta
.CONBOIOOS of having wi b
ter.il an| fidelity, the erduot)* *!u ies it h*\s
Ibeen the pleasure of th Le riafoture to us
jrign me, and enfeebf and by tiia:* vs*:, the re
*tt)t of laborious exertions to /.promote th*;
p.folie welfare ; Ibid determined <o hear
1.7} silence the unmerited .ml umuwmfoble
yeproaches, with whi ch I rtd assailed, I was
.nenatbln th t the tnisraprt sent tioiia of art
ful demagogue*, might for i season mislead
Che judg-msut of hoti st men ; but relying
on the liberality and intelligence oft *e peo
pie, I had repos ‘d io the epWirtidO tbi t
time and reflection would he alone snffi
eient, to ensure a just delusion npou toj
public conduct. That such will be the re
sult, lam still fully persuaded; hob the
veryeifracrdinary presentment of the Grand
Jury of the county of Wi’*kes, which hue m
eeqtly appeared in the public ppe-s, t n and
(which, as I apprehend,; was procured by
plausible representation, unde? th® guise of
patriotism, having tor their q foct personal
eggraudizethetifo gratification of a
tnean and ra Ugnaut spiri ) would seem to
tmpuse on .me the task of presenting to lb a
public, a fair exposition of the several sub
jects of complaint , .. <
The Act of ooiftgr©&Bj changing the mode
of compensating the member*?, appears to
constitute the frpuvmial ground of displea
sure. For my vote in its behalf, I nut de-~
tjnunccd as unworthy of your ccofidenee.—
Sentence of condemnation is promptly p ss
ml upon me, without ex mi nation, And with
out a knowledge of the facts sod ireutn-
Btances, win h were indispens blc to a eor
ireet decision ; white Ion*? and faithful §er
vteesia times of national- difficulty and ad
versity—while a life of tinsulud integrity,
&nd disinterested devotion to the public
ureal, which ran not be denied me, and whfoh
ought to have shielded me frdSh vasrue nod
unfounded suspfofon, are totally forgotten,
But, f ellowlcit iz *n, the object of this ad
dress is not to complain. It is to furtiiuii a.
fall and frank developement of those pro
ceeding*, which have produced so much. ei
ftiteraent among you.
Congress assembled at their last session
Onder the most auspicious circumstances.-—a
The storm of war had passed a way—ill® o
llle exertions of our country had becoftfo the
theme of eulogy, throughout the civilised
tedrld—our revenues were unexampled, ,nd
She people pro; perous eud happy. At such
ft time., not to profit by past events —not to
provide for the future, against the recur
yeace of evils which experience had ci:
closed, would have betrayed a want of po
litical sagacity and fore, ast, unworthy the
fiepreseatatiVes of the American people. To
devise and perfect a general systetp of poli
cy, calculated to perpetuate the blessings of
ur free constitution, and to prepare for those
vicissitudes in human affairs, which are the
lot cf nations, became our obvious duty. Fhp
task was one of no ordinary character, nor
was it to be performed without great delib
eration and active diligence N *ver did the
national legislature labor more incessantly
and probably never during any session, was
more important business transacted. A
suoog the va 1 ictus subjects whi h attracted
mr attention, w is the compensation of the
Sttpoebers. When the present constitution
commenced its existence, it had been fixed
St sis dollars a day, during the attendance
f members, and the same sum was allowed
for every 20 miles, in going to, and return
ing fVom the seat of government. At that
period the necessary expenses of a repre
sentarive were equal to about due half of
those wuiefc are now incurred. This IV -
is susceptib'e of unquestionable proof.——--
Indeed, i appeal to yuur owu candor and
recollect;© ! to say how much more uione*
sr&s worth, or in other words, bow much
more an equal quenti-y cf money would pur
chaee in the year l7By, than at the prcse.i
time. The vale* of money, ! iV.e the vain
i ; f every other article, is increased or dim 1
Ssled by v riouo circumstances. It I;/**
.been gradually dkpreejatin - for year? pas* ;
And it i*- as unreasonable to imagine, ti.a .
be-ause dollars a ifoy were formerly r
euftiehm compensation, the same arftouni
still adequate, as it would be to scy, tbv’
six dollars will purchase rs mu;h cotto;
now, rs they would have dene four y eor*
iigo. I know, that even since I first be.
came your representative, fhc expenses o
ut£ city of have in
LOUISVILLE, THURSDAY, AUGUST 8, 1815.
- I \ . . . • - . <■
creased fifty per coat. For board, I then
paid ten dollars a and now I pay fif
teen. The price of keeping a horse was
then three dollars a week, and bow it is
from four apd a half to five—gaaeraliy the
i.Xttcf.
Was it ever supposed, that the fi rat law
passed oy Con.-iess, for com peas-ting -i*
i.emb ;rs, was of a charecter so sac rod, that ‘
no oebasion could justify the alter.ition cf ‘
its provisions r The law teas passed as oth- i
er laws, and subject, like them, to so h mod -
fi atior.e, as time and ‘circumstances icight ’
suggest. T here is nothing more hovel in
cTangiog ;h- compcnS'Tidn of th-’ pabßs
fua Uio larics-i than in amending slot sites in t
g aerul. Have not tW State icgisl ttercs I
found it n&'Hruy to in reaso the Vompe-p- j
sttiau cf their monikers, since the p*y of j
Oongrcss was origtually fixe*!? H s not
Ooagrfas long sure, ana from time to ..ime,
• - reused the salaries of i/.ot . i’ th-- p’.-bd-tj
ifisers, whi .h had oaehcpssidered ud q ;aie j
it the time the offices ware created * All I
os® tnings h.ve bee ad e, while t,e Na- |
ioarT H ;:ree:itat:ve have alsul’ ed fra> j
;a •’reasiug thir own cooioensation, until i
found poi *y imperiously d* m *.aded it, and I
the siiua i> of the country permitted U,|
without in oaveuieaco to the people.
It iidls been justly said, that a good gov-1
ernment br.diy ailiaiabiered, m-ybe worse I
than a bad g vernment well administered; J
and as well might youexpe Tto find mao ea j
pa’-.lc of tnanaging a ship judi iously, who j
are e -acqu inted with her ui.v biaery, to
in giae that the diversified and t*oq>plica- ‘
tml coucerns of the govefumeht of ‘he U.
s*ntes can ho tdfcfy ecm.'nitu and to the hand*
o|?gnqrue ;• id iftexpeiioo*!®. T eitnpor
tance of experi a**® and a thorough know-j
ifdge of the aatucc; and history of govern- j
meat in general, and of our own in p irti iu- j
I fur—of the proi-rcss from time to time of
l our rclatios,wilh other countries, anp cl
‘| the polbj, both foreign and domestic, .best
i calculated 10 advance.t'-e uationai prefipari
! ty, is too manifest to need illustration- And
1 nny add, that if> lcgi*l&licn as .in a Her
purauils, be ft mau ? s talents wb - t they ih?,y
at .he eojnmeneecicfct of hi? po.liikul *. .r ;*r,
practise and observation arc iKdispeufibh
! to m-ikebiai an able and useful a- a'.C'm.in.
If these petitions are true, (n'i 5 mi per
juiad-d they w ( ill not b® denied) Isu mit Lj
your candor, whether at the moment w hep
congres? were engaged in establishing tficj
gre:. principles, of public poll- y, upori
which might depnd the ifftur. j
| destiny of the only freegoverumtui on earth, j
they could, without a dereliction cf doty,,
hay® overlooked so great an evil an th pro-;
fii bte ex* iusioju of experience and uh.T.tq,;
I from ’h® eou/icil’ of V. e nation, or so far as
I depended on.them, have.neglected to * pply ,
a rt medy ~ln times sos war and great t. -.-
tioulva} ciityi it is expet ted of eye. y pat
riot, timf regardless of personal considera
tion*,ffin; n services will be devoted to tne pub
lic welfare. But, little does he know of hu
man nature, who, believes, ifiti while the
oatio** is iu prof und peace, and the people
reaping nnext;rnpUd w* afih from personal
atteiii on to their private affairs, any eiiiz'-'n,
vtho io uot a in ra*bcs, ot “ho is not
without comforts at home, will for a series
of years bo tVof so get his duty to hipiself and
family, as to sacrifii e to the piit-hc his do
mestic happiness, and negket the improve
ment of Siis private fortune without due com
pensation. J.t would be unreason file to ei-
I peetjt ; in j iSt to ask it. That the love of
fiine aodo'fior honorable incentive?, might,
under the former rate of compensation, in
duce many men cf intelligence and patriot
win to enter the councils of the nation. 33 ad
miiled ; lutit is not less true, that a few
years’ service (and too, study and ex
* The author of the presentment is igao
rant of thin f>t. or cares not wbftt means he
employs to delude the people. Y* ithont ci
ting the numerous instances during almost
every session, in which the p* y of differed
* k public fuailionaries” has be n inereased,
♦he foiiov’. iug cases will he sufficient to shew
that rr,ugre*s have bestowed “on tfcessv
ersl officers of the seneral government au
dditionai salary also, ’ and long before they
‘■aised their own cotripensatiou. The sala
y of the Secretary <f .State, nd of the
Pr.-.-sury, i. * been fixed at 553,500 each—
f the l e rttary of War n<i N vy, at
33 0( 0— of the Comptroller of the Treasu
y, at g 2 100, and of the Attorney-General, j
* $1 500. An ret Mas passed at least J
w he years ago, iocreesing tl o salary of
: e Pei rotary of State & of the Treasury io
g. 3.000, of \Vor and >->;vy, to 551,503 ; of
he Ccrrptioiler to ?3 : £00, and of ihe At
;ney-Gi,neri Ito £3 tCG. The la'*v wai
iiratted in its duration, and has been regu
ar!y re-enacted fiom lime to time until the
! ast session; when it muds
’p ‘iiorce have qualified them to be most
useful to their constituent*) are sufficient tu
convince ib*ui that poverty at borne, or re
liremeut from the pe dis concerns, are their
only alternatives. This fact is substantia
ted* by- the history of congress. Most of
those wae were members when I was first
honored with a seat in that body, are utw
i*i common vvi Ja the rest of you, devot?u.
i their time and talents to thje udvanta e of
i themselves and families. .With thepn--’ect
unprw*edente.'a prospect of gain, au?l the
’ (‘orrespondiog loss whirb v us* b*-* •*. ioed
by the afismeo of m*n iron) their homes, a
: consider able portion ci the year, vith the
, fift owing to b yond our ccn
i trout, the veal imount of compensation h.i<d
diminished fiDtwithsfftuuing the ‘nominal
| rate was the same; juat: e and the putili-
I w*e>T’ re appeared to unite io calling for le
gislative provision. Locking at the,change
iu the comlitiott- of the country, it could not
* escape the observation of men. toking tu
I it?, and vit-ws of -national policy, that the
sperihci‘3 to be incurred by n m*.inner, would
d?sv pifxd"* of .r >dera’e fort dues from th*
ipuld.-:: cauoeiis. In ihat event the compe-
I trd'ep w'onld be .Um utd to .the’ wealthy,
! (so h as Mr.. Uu.,ar of Sonth-CirotiDa)
j srd another description of men,’ who hove
I nothing to n*k hcane de iraHc, &as !jt-
I tie to recommend theaa to the publie eonfi
* deuce, .Is it possible, feUote-Tti ceus, that
j you-con Believe such a >iat; .of ihiogs w<*ufil
I pronutte your interest, o id- n: e ’.he su
J cess of republican prin-np’- s ? According
1 o my out prion of. the. subject, tfie .bat is
’ of those prfii ijiles 0 • equal rights and pri
bvilegc” ; and whatever bos a ten dan y .to
: the direeHortiof the government exclusively
j into the h *.odsof tiie ri-h, gv of iinj patitcis--
[lsr clesAof society, it aati-repubiii cri uud
I o-.irht to fee roiided, *.Tbe n;at.*smen wlo •
in the public eouoeils h vr so sad
so ably, in&iutfiined their country’s caitse.
and who have so often re?,caved from the
people the encenraging pi .<idit Ki well done
thou gpod and faithful servant,” are for, the
most {;art, sa moderate pecuniary eircuui
stances ‘ “ v \ ■; ■ ...
T6.cri*;s.*le the people of the United Stales
ia.ov.tS tlieutsclves of tL*- servirt'a of use
ful m, n whoever rank* they saigkf't-e
found ('ihieh is.he true repuMi au dodrine)
vUihtmi subjecting them to unnecessary and
I changing the inode of eoinpens&tiug the.
j members. *> *
| li provides that iebtevd of si:; d-ollarj a
j day. during the each member shell
jbe allowed fiKeen hundred dollars ayer,
1 wid travelling expenses us For
| oegleet of duty . proportionable deduction
: s to bo nu.de. The Speaker of {fie House
of Represeatolives e;id Fresidtut of thn
Senate are rctitied ss fprmerlj, to dofibie
{he pay of a member. Upon tfie justice of
increasing the < ompeosaticu, and ai least to
the provided by tbe ;.et, lliere was
very little diversity of opinion iu Confess :
The details of the bill— tae period when it
nhou’d take efieet.r.nd whether the increase
should be by the day or in the mode pro
posed, were the principal subjects of eou
troveisy. Some /gentlemen voted :gainst
the measure in consequence of its operation
pot having been postponed aniil the 4, 1s of
March next, soa*fc from their objections to
the mode 5 and others frotn the tpprehen
eiosi, that although the thing was right in it
self, the view sos eotigress would be mis
represented, to they arharU ge of the cun
ning, and to the injury if the meritorious.
The few who oeeuxded e different groin L
have never been disiinguisl efi for supeiioi in
formatibn: or extra ordinary phtiiott.-m ; i.or
is it more difficult for the iid* hi ritubt© to
impufe to them univortl y motives, then to
others. Th< ir opinions, there lore, are en
titled io 10 more respeti then the opinions
of on equal number of n embers in general.
Is the eCßipet sstioii just in its amount,
with referem e bolb to the people and iheii
representatives? In the dett imnation of
this question, a variety of consider tons
ere to be calmly end so>’ ily consider®* .
T o he represented at the expense of the re
presentative; can tui her be just nor eoafor
nuble to bur republican losiiintions; be
cause, tbortby, H would be excluded Ircm
the representative ol the people, tx>< pt yr.eu
of large fortunes. Such a st..te ot ihim.si
niight b- o etcptable to tbet enss oi socie
ty,tut, I apprehend it will not le doiied
by an ewlightered 1 nirmunity.’ 1 esteem
that toinpeimT;on just and wise, wlieh
while it avoids extmvugaiice, will enable 1
any man whom th* people way el to elect.
to serve them without great siurifi es. Id.
it uo SHi itfiae on the jpe.it of die repivssn- *
talive to do violence to the beet lympiithus 1
of our nature, lobe nUeiil at u ueti and t, *
tance. and great portion of the yeti fun ]
Lis fttsiiijt a&d domestic tcstticils ? xUo hioi-
family su>*jected tuo sacrifices ? Is it nc
sacrifice that his personal attention i cd ex
ertions towards the 1 dvance meat of hi* pu*
vate estate are lost ? S*. the devotian of .
man’s time am! talents to the public woith
no’hing r I put J b:■ e qat s-.iona to every
di(.passionate, loan in the country, ami I .. k
tvbetbei it is reftson.’T'ie <0 espei t ih • t <.< mA
netent man will incur anchnnenne s for any
great length of time, without do; eomj . :i
sstion r While there fore l would no? da si
it necessary to fix Re wufes o Itig.. u t{
eittke them a source of wealth 5 I do thiiifc
that every consideration of juati* e a ■ H s. und
policy requires ifiat they il ould be ade
quate to.ffiri socnetl iog likefi-demnii'.y for
the sacrifices imurred. faelf-ex* mir* (iocs
*loe, fellow-CitlZ ‘iwill lOPViBe.H VGI3
thus although the love <-? disTnetion, - cf
honor, and other si nihr ituiuicmnUs, r- y>,
tempt intelligent :tn<! worthy rr.cn ‘3 emhnrki
in the public councils, they vili be vr oily
insufficient to keep them there if sepumted
from their, fi mi‘ u* x * ontiiderahle part of
the year, by a pittauve nf cm per.sai*i> #
out equal to the losses im urred by (hei>
seijpe from home. As to the fifteen bur.*
dred dollars Icm persuaded it would not
be.. thought extr<-.vagA*t it you knew tl e ex*.
puditures.to which a tnen hei is -ui-je -~-
To wftgit extent is no - inches &*- in ‘lu- a. ns cunt
ct* the ferrorr foniyc I.3l*Ton, m y fe- ascer
tained with suffi*lent cecumy, tv *efor
ence tn (he number cf. ; t iu et ch year s
dnring which Ci-ngrershav ;• on.in t
on nfi evan ga since the eten'sneneemeat of
the presist goyernmt-uf • *J kit ti e. eu
ibe rule, the increase is risen, fifty p t r
cent.Am! tpi.sidcring ihe great aeeesstois
ofmrtnh*rsy ttnouinirg at present in tl.t*
House of ißcpresebtfitives io on* bundledl
nd’ eighty -two, end ‘he probaUe si ditioa
•f many more in a few yeai>.~ <l;e enlarge*
ment of oaf ten fiery cud stUhrm m—-;he
exteii'ion of our cemmcieial reia'ions, it is
rrt omst that the duration of ti e scions
for the future, v asset l ; key to be si or en
cd. The snvm.se * f ccu <i |'t'wtjc:n, sore
s re, so for from being enoioutrs as Las
been fofocly ssstred. is not equal to ’he in
ere: in the price of boarding and other*
.pevrere es -■ etpn#e incident to 1 son in
congress IVm v tla fit in g thi presen* com—
! peiiStt'on to he paid by a tax on the peo
t pie, wosdd they pay as a.u?h so real value *
j es in former y* nrs, t' ineet the six and liars a,
day. Vi.reuiug the itJe 5 l;uve laid ckwn &
and supposica the ec u pc nation to be paid
tv direct tax ts;e ioi>6win views eie dis
timed :
Congress fitve hero ib scssior on r-t> sveri
. age, in catb vcur. one hundred rrd fifty
ii'sa.e d;y?. 0? upwards of five montl >
, The ai hnal eonipeEsutkn to eat I in* inter
t &t fix dollars a day during tfie se•-Biots, hats
therefere bjrounted to r ive itt.di.d sad
■ fifty-four dollars; nad the ggrgate for tfc©
, presejit number of senetois sub itprrsiutav
lives of the United State* would fee vs 0 L .2-
dred and seven thousand nine haadted and
seventy wo dollars. Th? p'opct tioa wfcicln
Georgia woi.Ui jfoy is six thousand eight
hundred and fifty six dollars and c
. The whole poy of congress a? fifteen hun
dred dollars a year for cash member, <&
three hundred and twenty-seven thc usmid
> dollars, end the prcpor.ion of the state
would be ten ihousatid seven hundrad end
. eighty doilnrs Kind s frae tiem. It will fee*
per,* ived ihat the differenee is thiee thou
sand nine hundred, ami twen'y four dollars,
which if divided among the people & fording
to the constimtioniiil rule of apportioning dj
reel taxes niicrrg the states, would 1 mount
to the enormous m and akirmbg turn of lets
than two cents a head !I! Tbe who ,<u m
j ensation at su tlniiars a d* y dating ,U
sessions, if apportioned in th * sttr.e way,
would be tlvee cents tr and about e quarter of
& cent, a bend. A like apportio* jn ut c,f
the present campon*? lion, wood be fiv©
e enisand t bout the eighth part of u oont, a
head. I ask you io candor 10 say. whether
it is not mofe convenient io p*y five e;n 6
and an eighth bew, than it w.-.s to j> * three
cents und a quarter hi the .year, 1789, and
duting niarsy subsequent years? \v t;r? uot
three cents tod a quarter worth more th u,
than five tents and iii etg th t the present;
time ; or in fa r vote#, would tkal i-tau
not l ave pureh-std in,*re useful property ;
au! therefore are not. five cens unci t,a
eighth worth less now, lfi\o three coots and
j a quarter formerly ? I-m persuttd. and ,h ,m
question* v. iii be answered in the uffiram-
Hve by every impartial in u, who is ac*
quminted with the history id*this eour.try.-
Uompare tna present pi-y, the nudes, ex-*
pensea and e^crlli-e* of a member of Coo
grese, with the puy of your state officers*
(wbjehi i certuialy low enough) und their
•mliCB, eipeuß? w ', and A judge
receives fourteen humljed uuSlar* a yeac.—
Are Hi Oijea*ea R-Jy tliiiig like those v.hfoh
I.